IN BRIEF / TECHNOLOGY

SCO Group, Microsoft Sign License Deal

SCO Group said Microsoft Corp. would pay for licenses for the Unix operating system -- a big win in SCO's effort to position its technology against the upstart Linux software.

Financial terms of the deal, in which Microsoft will license Unix patents and source code, were not released.

Linux, a free offshoot of Unix that was refined by programmers, has gained ground from Unix on servers in recent years, but Lindon, Utah-based SCO believes much of the code used in Linux infringes on Unix intellectual property.